Universe Online - Enter the Game: Complete Edition by Ryan 'Viken' Henning
Authors: Ryan 'Viken' Henning
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weld the new pieces around the unused space on the bulkhead plate I'm using to base the solar cell on.
Spread out at angles like an open flower at the base, then straightened and then slightly angled back inwards. It creates a structure like a geodesic sphere with two feet per side.
Once done, I start attaching the smaller plates both inside and outside, angled toward each other. With a much greater surface area than the solar cell by itself, it gathers sunlight then redirects it inside. That causes the light to bounce and concentrate before shining it all on the solar cell.
Wiggling into it to get into the inside of the assembly is a hassle because of my bulkier than usual suit though. It takes a bit of time.
Precious time.
Three hours later and I have to replace my air supply, while my battery alert is all but screaming at me. At 30% power now.
Using the welder of my multi-tool is draining my battery extremely fast.
Finally though I pull out and step away, and use the laser pointer again to test it.
I can see the green mark bouncing across the plates and then finally striking the solar cell. Yes!
But I'm still not done. I go and grab a spool of electrical wiring and then two of three batteries from the capsule. Getting them out is a lot easier with the extra space from removing the air processors and tanks earlier.
Going back while using telekinesis to pull my load with me, I'm quick to wire up the solar cell and then extend it down the length of the joint metal struts. It’s a waste, but I end up cutting up lengths of wire to use to tie the main line to the strut, so that it is flush to the metal. I don't want any to break.
Thankfully all the wire is already insulated, so I don't have to worry about being shocked if I have to go out and touch it.
That done, here comes the hard part. Actually pushing the entire thing out of the hole and into space and then angled to catch the sun.
It is really slow going there. The greatly increased mass, especially at the 'head' where the solar cell assembly is, makes it for tricky maneuvering. I don't bother holding back either, and use both my body and telekinesis to do so. My Psi starts dropping quickly due to how much force is required even to move it slowly in zero-g.
I really don't want to break any damned thing!
You try to move a roughly 60 feet long metal strut with a metal sphere on one end in zero-g and see how well you do!
I'm quite literally cursing under my breath as I finally start to put it out into space. Slowly, ever so slowly it slides out. And once the solar assembly hits the sunlight, I have my HUD start tracking the amount of energy the solar cell is already producing as I start to rotate it while pushing it further out.
I only stop when there's about two feet left inside. More than enough to anchor it to the floor of the hold.
Spinning it, I find the greatest concentration of solar radiation and light by tracking the power spikes from the solar cell.
There!
I stop it and use my telekinesis to hold it in place as I grab three braces and start welding it to the metal composite floor.
Total time used: 8 hours.
Remaining power: 12%
My power is so low that by the time I finish welding it all into place, I can already feel my suit starting to slow down; its motions becoming rougher and more jerky than before. Debuff icons have appeared in my HUD again, noting that my physical attributes have already dropped by 10%.
I would curse; except I'm too excited. It was already working. Now all that's left is splicing the power wires into the batteries. That work only takes a handful of minutes, and the batteries I've wired out in a relay start humming, sharing their power load.
3%... 5%... 7%
Yes! I did it!
I even go so far as to jump, which ends up sending my shooting to the ceiling with a bit more force
Spread out at angles like an open flower at the base, then straightened and then slightly angled back inwards. It creates a structure like a geodesic sphere with two feet per side.
Once done, I start attaching the smaller plates both inside and outside, angled toward each other. With a much greater surface area than the solar cell by itself, it gathers sunlight then redirects it inside. That causes the light to bounce and concentrate before shining it all on the solar cell.
Wiggling into it to get into the inside of the assembly is a hassle because of my bulkier than usual suit though. It takes a bit of time.
Precious time.
Three hours later and I have to replace my air supply, while my battery alert is all but screaming at me. At 30% power now.
Using the welder of my multi-tool is draining my battery extremely fast.
Finally though I pull out and step away, and use the laser pointer again to test it.
I can see the green mark bouncing across the plates and then finally striking the solar cell. Yes!
But I'm still not done. I go and grab a spool of electrical wiring and then two of three batteries from the capsule. Getting them out is a lot easier with the extra space from removing the air processors and tanks earlier.
Going back while using telekinesis to pull my load with me, I'm quick to wire up the solar cell and then extend it down the length of the joint metal struts. It’s a waste, but I end up cutting up lengths of wire to use to tie the main line to the strut, so that it is flush to the metal. I don't want any to break.
Thankfully all the wire is already insulated, so I don't have to worry about being shocked if I have to go out and touch it.
That done, here comes the hard part. Actually pushing the entire thing out of the hole and into space and then angled to catch the sun.
It is really slow going there. The greatly increased mass, especially at the 'head' where the solar cell assembly is, makes it for tricky maneuvering. I don't bother holding back either, and use both my body and telekinesis to do so. My Psi starts dropping quickly due to how much force is required even to move it slowly in zero-g.
I really don't want to break any damned thing!
You try to move a roughly 60 feet long metal strut with a metal sphere on one end in zero-g and see how well you do!
I'm quite literally cursing under my breath as I finally start to put it out into space. Slowly, ever so slowly it slides out. And once the solar assembly hits the sunlight, I have my HUD start tracking the amount of energy the solar cell is already producing as I start to rotate it while pushing it further out.
I only stop when there's about two feet left inside. More than enough to anchor it to the floor of the hold.
Spinning it, I find the greatest concentration of solar radiation and light by tracking the power spikes from the solar cell.
There!
I stop it and use my telekinesis to hold it in place as I grab three braces and start welding it to the metal composite floor.
Total time used: 8 hours.
Remaining power: 12%
My power is so low that by the time I finish welding it all into place, I can already feel my suit starting to slow down; its motions becoming rougher and more jerky than before. Debuff icons have appeared in my HUD again, noting that my physical attributes have already dropped by 10%.
I would curse; except I'm too excited. It was already working. Now all that's left is splicing the power wires into the batteries. That work only takes a handful of minutes, and the batteries I've wired out in a relay start humming, sharing their power load.
3%... 5%... 7%
Yes! I did it!
I even go so far as to jump, which ends up sending my shooting to the ceiling with a bit more force
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